The Adventures of Miss Schnee and Miss Xiao Long
by LastCorsair
Summary: The thrilling and madcap adventures of Miss Yang Xiao Long and her fiancee, Weiss Schnee. (Freezerburn, dustpunk AU)
1. A Father's Duty

Jacques Schnee winced as he paid the cabbie; the family finances were always strained and this trip to retrieve his wayward daughter was already straining them further. He was going to have a few words with Weiss when this was over, that was for sure! Hopefully, she would appreciate everything he was doing on her behalf.

Around him bustled the city of Vale. It was a busy, thriving place, but altogether too caught up in its obsession with _newness_ for Jacques's liking. It seemed like you couldn't swing the proverbial cat without hitting four or five workshops, each busily scaring the neighbors as it strove to produce the next wonder of the age. Just look at the cabs on the street, no two of them the same, each one a unique rattletrap monstrosity. Half of them moved on _legs_ or jointed tracks instead of proper wheels, and he'd seen several that were miniature airships. Even the wheeled cab that he had hired to bring him to the Xiao Long home had broken down on the way; unfazed, the cabbie had merely climbed out to make his own repairs before they continued on their way.

He took a moment to look over the house the cabbie had brought him to. It was a rambling sort of place that had the look of having been added onto and rebuilt more than once in its history. Not a proper sort of house at all. A house should be built once, to a single unified style. But then this Taiyang Xiao Long was not any sort of respectable gentleman, was he? Some sort of innovator or inventor, Weiss's letters home had said. Not that people like that didn't have their place of course, but they could hardly be allowed to associate with respectable society. At least the house seemed to be in good repair, and the grounds neatly kept.

Jacques Schnee held no improper ideas about his station in the world; the Schnees had been servants for centuries, but they had always been _respectable_ servants. They served with loyalty and respect, bringing no shame to the households they were part of. Knowing one's place in the world was important.

He stepped around to the side of the house, seeking the tradesman's entrance while he wished he had a mirror to check his appearance. Rapping sharply on the door with his cane, Jacques settled in to wait for an answer. As eclectic as this house looked, he wasn't expecting the staff to answer promptly, if at all. So it was a pleasant surprise when after just a few moments, a lavender-haired young woman in a maid's uniform opened the door. ''May I help you?" she asked with a small bow.

Jacques answered the girl's bow with a nod. "My apologies for bothering you, but I'm looking for my daughter; I'm given to understand she's employed here, or at least was. Her name is Weiss, Weiss Schnee."

"Oh!" The maid's face brightened. "What a surprise! No, she's not employed here, not anymore. She's one of the ladies of the house now or will be soon enough. You're family, you should have come round to the front. Oh, they'll have my head, Miss Weiss's father coming in through the tradesman's entrance. Come on in, she's not here right now, but she should be back soon, she's just gone off with Miss Yang, riding on that dreadful contraption of Miss Yang's. At least it's safer now that she'd added a second seat, but still-! Come on, come on!" The maid bustled Jacques inside, leading him through what proved to be a much more orderly house on the inside than the outside.

She seated him in a parlor that, while tastefully decorated, had the feel of not being used that often. Did Mister Xiao Long not have a lot of visitors? Was he unpopular for some reason? Then something the maid had said about Weiss came back to mind. 'Soon to be one of the ladies of the house,' she'd said. What did she mean by that? Was Weiss engaged to one of Mister Xiao Long's family? Jacques wracked his brain, trying to remember the details of the family. His daughter had written about Tiyang's daughters but hadn't mentioned sons. Had Weiss managed to snag the man of the house himself? Certainly, there would be an age difference, but there was nothing wrong with that. Many a young lady had secured her fortune by attracting the attention of an older man.

It wasn't long before voices from the front door drew his attention. Jacques stood, doing his best to make himself presentable. "And look who's here, Miss Weiss. Your father's come, all the way from Atlas!" the lavender-haired maid proclaimed.

Jacques fought to keep a neutral expression as he took in his daughter's appearance. She was wearing trousers and a shirt, as a gentleman might, a rapier at her side. The scar she'd once carefully kept hidden with makeup was now proudly displayed for the world to see. Her voice was clipped and cold as she spoke. "Father. What are you doing here?" Standing next to her was a tall similarly-dressed woman with a mane of blonde hair that reached down to her waist. Jacques couldn't help but notice the woman had a mechanical arm. At the very least she should have covered it so as to spare others the sight.

"I've come to take you back to Atlas, Weiss. As I said in my last letter, your mother and I have found a suitable husband for you."

Defiance flashed in his daughter's eyes as she crossed her arms. "Father, I'm not going with you. I am twenty-two years of age, and that is old enough to handle my own marital arrangements, thank you very much! And besides, I'm already engaged, remember? Plus you've probably chosen someone dreadful."

"Engaged? Without my approval? I won't allow it! And Cardin Winchester is not dreadful, he's a perfectly respectable young man!"

"Only if you've known him for less than a minute! And I don't need your approval, I am old enough to make up my own mind! You've never given a damn what I wanted, you just said so yourself. If you'd bothered to read my last letter, you'd have known I was already engaged, but you probably didn't bother reading past the part where I said I wasn't coming home." Weiss took a deep breath and reached out to the blonde woman, taking the woman's mechanical hand in hers. "Father, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you my fiancee, Yang Xiao Long."

Silence reigned for long seconds as Weiss's words spread across the room. "You can't marry a woman! It's immoral and illegal! I won't allow it!" Jacques shouted, stepping toward his daughter, his face a study in fury.

"Mister Schnee, calm down." Yang moved as if to place herself between Weiss and her father, only to find Weiss' arm in her way. "I know this is a bit of a shock, but if you'll just let us explain-"

"Explain? Explain?! There's nothing to explain! There is no way I'm allowing this! Your mother and I will be disgraced."

"That's why I'm not going back to Atlas, ever." Weiss fought to keep her voice level. "I... Part of the reason I was originally coming home was my affections for Yang. I couldn't bring myself to accept them, so the only thing I could think of was to get as far away from her as possible. When she heard I was leaving, Yang confessed her feelings for me, begged me to stay, proposing to me on the spot."

Yang blushed. "Sorry to say I rushed and made a real mess of it. I, uh, I did it again at breakfast the next day, with a ring and everything. Great way to start the day, right?"

Scowling, Jacques turned to Yang. "And you! You can't expect me to believe your parents are accepting of this!"

"My father not only accepts it, he approves. He knows Weiss well, she worked for us for years, and my mother... my mother is not an issue." Yang gestured to the sofa. "Now please, let's sit down and talk this over, get to know each other."

"I don't think so." Jacques picked up his cane, storming past Yang and Weiss toward the front door. Before he left, he turned to look Weiss in the eye. "This is not over. I am still your father and you will do as I say." He slammed the door, leaving a gloomy silence in his wake.

It was the maid that spoke first. "I'm sorry, Miss Weiss, I was so thrilled to see your father here, I didn't-"

"It's fine, Lisa. You had no way of knowing. Excuse me, I feel the need to be alone for a moment." Weiss stepped out of the room, and a moment later, the two of them heard the side door open and shut.

"Is she going to-" Lisa began, only to have the question answered before it was finished as a scream of frustration and rage came from the garden.

"Yeah, she did. Lisa, Mister Schnee is not welcome in this house, under any circumstances. I'll discuss it with my father when he returns home. When Blake and Ruby come home, I'll want to see them." Lisa nodded and bustled out of the room, leaving Yang to pace the floor waiting for her fiancee's return.

When Blake and Ruby came home, they found Weiss and Yang curled up against each other on the sofa, Yang gently stroking Weiss's hair. Weiss was leaned up against Yang, staring into space as if looking at something countless miles away. "Is something wrong?" Ruby asked, turning down the hood of the bright red cape she wore everywhere imaginable.

"You could say that Ruby," Yang answered, her normally bright and sunny disposition shadowed. "Weiss's father was here. He tried to bully her into going home with him, and when she introduced me as her fiance, he got angry. I've told the staff not to let him in if he returns."

"My father holds to a number of beliefs that have fallen into disfavor, even in Atlas. He refuses to acknowledge that a woman is the equal of a man, believing that a woman should obey her husband or father's wishes without question." At this point, Weiss's eyes focused, finding Blake's face. "He also doesn't believe in love between two people that share the same sex, and he hates Faunus, thinking them one step _below_ animals. More than once he's said 'At least an animal knows its place in the world, and doesn't try to claim the place of a man'."

Blake's cat ears flickered in dark amusement. "And he left here under his own power? I'm surprised; you suffer fools even less gladly than I do, and that's saying something."

"I was trying not to start a battle in our new parlor; we just got this decorated, after all," Weiss said with a small laugh.

"Still say I want to turn this back into a chemistry lab," Ruby muttered as Lisa came carrying a tea tray.

Blake jabbed her wife in the ribs. "Now Ruby, if Weiss wants a parlor to entertain in, we can have a parlor to entertain in. Or do you want to sleep out in your workshop tonight?" Ruby eeped at the idea and busied herself with a cup of tea.

* * *

"He's out there again."

Weiss didn't even pause in her fencing lesson with Professor Oobleck at her soon-to-be sister-in-law's interjection. "I take it, Blake that you are referring to my father, who has taken up what he probably feels to be a well-concealed position in that stand of fireflower trees just far enough off the property so as not to actually be trespassing?" she replied, her blade flashing back and forth, seeking an opening.

Oobleck was too fast for her today, brushing aside all her attacks with ease. "You're off our game today, Miss Schnee; normally you've struck me at least two or three times by now. I take it your father's arrival is a distraction? So terrible to see such strife between father and daughter."

The white-haired girl didn't hesitate; she took advantage of Oobleck's dismay to knock his sword out of her way, scoring a strike above her teacher's heart. "My father refuses to accept my right to decide my own future. He's especially angry about my engagement to Yang."

"Ah, that's right, you're from Atlas, aren't you? The ink's still wet on their new marriage laws, isn't it? Still," Oobleck struck, catching Weiss on her sword arm, "it would be best if you and your father did come to an understanding."

Blake shook her head. "She's tried, Professor. Weiss has spoken with him several times, with no effect. He keeps insisting she come back to Atlas with him and marry someone he's picked out for her."

"Don't worry, Professor, I've had a word with the constables. They'll run him off when they see him." Weiss stepped back from Oobleck, wiping sweat from her brow. "In fact, I think I see Constable Wukong coming around the corner now. Let's watch."

* * *

"Good afternoon, sir. Can I ask why you're so intently observing the property across the street in what seems to be meant to be a covert fashion?"

Jacques turned to face the young man wearing a constable's uniform, straightening his tie as he did so. "That is none of your business, young man; I'm not trespassing and I've broken no laws."

"Actually, it is my business. Word's gotten around about you, that you're trying to drag Miss Weiss back to Atlas to force her to marry someone she can't stand. We don't allow such a thing here in Vale. Plus Taiyang Xiao Long and his daughters are great friends to this city, pillars of the community and that sort of thing." Sun was grinning wide now; anyone that knew him would take that particular grin as a sign of warning. "So I think you need to move along now, and not bother anyone in that house anymore."

"You have no right-!"

"Oh, but I've got every right." Sun reached out and poked Jacques in the chest with his truncheon. "We've arrested you for harassing the residents of that house and their staff when they leave the property, and we've got sworn statements from them that you're not allowed on the property and why. So I'll give you one chance: stop bothering them and take yourself back to Atlas, or I'm going to run you in again. And not for a night to cool off this time. You'll be up before a magistrate and might be looking at some serious time in jail. What's it going to be?"

Jacques' face contorted in a sneer. "Don't you dare touch me, you animal-!"

"Oh, that's it, that's showing disrespect to an officer of the law. Now I have to run you in. Try to be polite and see where it gets you." Sun pulled out his manacles and stepped towards Jacques, who tried to run. Bad move. Sun was on him in an instant, tackling him to the ground and wrestling him into the manacles. "Well, at least I've done one good deed for the day. Come on, you."

Across the street, Weiss, Blake, and Professor Oobleck watched as the paddy wagon ambled up and Weiss's father was loaded into it. "Do you think he'll take the hint this time?" Blake asked. She really didn't like Weiss' father; what he'd had to say to her once he found out who she was wasn't fit for anyone's ears.

"Doubtful. He's extremely stubborn, which is where I get it from, most likely." Nearby, a bell tower started to sound out noon, and Weiss turned to Oobleck with a smile. "Oh, is it noon already? Professor, would you like lunch?"

* * *

It was a bedraggled Jacques Schnee that shuffled out of the cell the next morning. These, these, _ruffians_ was the only word he could use to describe these so-called officers of the law, had tossed him in with the drunks and brawlers and other common criminals. "Alright, you whiny pain in the neck, your bail's been paid. We'll send a letter in a day or two to your lodgings letting you know when you're up before the judge. If you don't show up, we'd better not catch you, got it?" The blue-haired constable at the desk shook his head. "And if you were a smart man, I'd steer clear of the Xiao Longs and find myself a good lawyer. Now beat it."

Outside, a red-haired man wearing a bowler hat stopped him. "Excuse me, Mister Schnee, might I have a word with you? I'm the gentleman who paid your bail, you see, and I think we share a common adversary in the Xiao Long family. I understand they've influenced your daughter in a most immoral fashion."

Jacques scoffed. "Not that it's really any of your business, but yes, they've exerted an unhealthy influence over my daughter. I mean to see it ended and her returned with me to Atlas. Her fiancee is waiting for her."

"Oh, and a fiancee waiting for her, what a shame, what a shame. It occurs to me that I might be of some help in reuniting you with your daughter if you're willing to accept my assistance."

"I think we might discuss that very matter, mister...?"

"Torchwick." The redheaded man gave a deep an ostentatious bow. "Mister Roman Torchwick, at your service, sir."


	2. A Maid's Place

_**Three years earlier...**_

Weiss stopped to check her appearance before leaving her room. This was her first official full day with her new employer, and she wanted to put forward a good first impression. Everything was perfect. Her long white hair was neatly tucked up in a bun, the scar over her left eye was carefully concealed with makeup, and her uniform was neat and tidy. Head to toe, she was the perfect image of a household maid, if she said so herself.

And what a household it was. The rambling house held a chemistry lab where Weiss would have expected a parlor, a carriage house that had been converted into a workshop she'd been advised to avoid, plus a locked room on the third floor Weiss had been told was Miss Blake's 'sanctum' and Not To Be Entered, Ever.

Still, no matter what oddities there were to be endured here, at least Mister Taiyang Xiao Long was prosperous, that much was sure. Weiss was the newest of four maids, and she had a small room to herself with a full-length mirror. Her last job, she'd had to share a room with another silly young woman, and the only mirror they'd had between them was a small hand mirror. There was even a lock on her door, and Weiss had been told the only persons with a master key were the housekeeper, Mrs. Hutchins, and Mister Taiyang himself.

There was another oddity. The only member of the family she'd been introduced to so far was Mister Taiyang, and he didn't seem a proper gentleman at all. Weiss knew that people here in Vale were overall less concerned with propriety than in her native Atlas, but Mister Taiyang seemed more relaxed about it than most, clapping Weiss on the shoulder when they were introduced, telling her to call him 'Tai' if she wanted and welcoming her to the household. Not that she had any intention of being so informal, of course, but it was still nice to be made welcome.

Mrs. Hutchins was waiting in the hallway when Weiss stepped out of her room. She looked Weiss over from head to toe, then nodded in approval. "So nice to see a young lady take proper care with her appearance. Many girls your age are less careful than they should be. Come on, I want you dusting the front half of the first floor. But be careful not to dust any of the apparatus in the chemistry lab. Leads to accidents."

Weiss was humming as she dusted the bookshelves chemistry lab. Most people with a library like this filled the shelves with 'important' books that were just for show and sat on the shelves unread. These were filled instead with well-worn reference volumes whose spines proclaimed them to be manuals on chemistry, engineering, metallurgy, mechanics, other subjects Weiss knew even less about. Idly she ran her fingers over their spines, wondering what it would be like to get paid for the labor of her mind, not her hands. She shook her head, forcibly bringing herself back to reality. Dreams like that were a waste of time for her; like her father had always taught her, it was best to be certain of one's place in the world and seek to fit as best you could.

Mrs. Hutchins looked in on her about mid-morning. The gray-haired woman beamed with approval as she ran a finger across the shelves. "Well done. Now come on, Miss Ruby and Miss Blake want a tray taken out to them in the workshop, and it's about time you were introduced to them."

The white-haired girl approached the converted carriage house that was referred to as 'the workshop' with no small amount of trepidation. Even a good twenty feet away, it smelled of oil, Dust, and hot metal. One wall had what looked like a large, recently-repaired hole, making Weiss's hands shake where they clutched the tray.

Weiss squeezed carefully through the partly-open heavy doors at the front of the building, moving sideways so not to spill the tea and cookies she carried. "Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing across the scattered machinery. "Mrs. Hutchins sent me with a tray for you. I'm Weiss, the new maid." The white-haired girl stepped further into the room looking around for signs of life but finding none.

She couldn't help but wonder what various contraptions were for. That one, for example, looked like an airship's cabin with a windmill's blades on top; what possible purpose could that serve? And that one over there looked like the questionable offspring of an octopus and a combination harvester!

Stepping around another unidentifiable mechanism, Weiss jumped back in fright, almost dropping her tray. Standing in front of her was a red-headed young girl, staring blankly into space. "Excuse me, are you Miss Ruby or Miss Blake? Mrs. Hutchins me with a tray for you." The red-head didn't respond, making Weiss step forward carefully. After a few moments, she realized the girl wasn't a girl at all, but a mechanism built to resemble a girl's head, shoulders, and arms, stopping just below the armpits and propped up on a stand. "My god," she whispered. What fever dream had such a device sprung from?

Shaking her head, Weiss continued on. Inventors overall seemed a strange lot, but there was no doubt that sometimes, their work held value. Airships, for example, were revolutionizing the way the world did, well, just about everything. People and goods traveled more quickly and easily from one place to another, and naval airships were a terror to behold overhead. Weiss's sister had joined the Atlas navy; she had high hopes of earning a commission and serving on an airship.

Her head turned at a clatter. Ah, finally, some sign of life. Weiss put a smile on her face as she turned to deliver the tray she carried, only to feel an incredible pain as something hit the back of her skull, then darkness.

* * *

Yang grinned as she rode the new motor-cycle her sister had built for her. Ruby had thought Yang was nuts for wanting the thing, but Yang was loving it. It was fast, mobile, and best of all, she could feel the wind in her hair as she rode. She'd seen more than a few people giving her and her machine appraising glances as she gave the machine a good test ride. Okay, Yang had to admit she was just plain goofing off, but there was no harm in that, right? A few hours' escape from helping her dad and sister in the workshop suited the blonde woman just fine. Yang was far from lacking in intelligence, but she would be the first one to admit she was nowhere as gifted with machines as her sister and father were.

Weiss stirred, a throbbing pain on the back of her head. Opening her eyes, she could see she was lying in the back of a delivery truck. Across from her, a black-haired woman was bound and gagged, but no such care seemed to have been taken with Weiss. Lifting her head gingerly, she could see a man standing there, looking out the back of the truck. He let the canvas at the back of the truck drop, and the vehicle lurched into motion. This was her best chance. Weiss drew a deep breath, steeling herself against the pain in her head, and tackled the man taking him at the legs. He dropped to the bed of the truck, his upper half hanging out the back. She wailed on him with her fists, yelling, "I am _not_ letting you kidnap someone from _my_ house _on my first day!"_

That's when the other man hit her from behind.

Ahead of her, a truck pulled out of the gate to her dad's property. Yang didn't think anything about it at first; trucks came and went all the time, bringing things to and from the workshop. Then a man fell halfway out of the canvas at the back, someone else beating on him. Now _that_ had her attention.

Yang opened the throttle and pulled up behind the truck, watching as another man attacked the man white-haired woman from behind. She swore under her breath, regretting not taking her pistol with her this morning. It was supposed to have been a simple trial of her new vehicle; she hadn't expected anything like this! The white-haired woman stopped beating on the man hanging out of the back of the truck to try and fight off the other man, struggling to take her feet.

Yang swerved to one side as the man dangling out of the truck fell, losing his balance. She'd deal with him later if the constables didn't grab him first. The woman looked to have been kidnapped, and Yang sort of objected to that kind of thing.

The blonde woman pulled up close to the truck again, looking for an opening to jump from her motor-cycle to the truck. Noticing her, the man struggling with the white-haired woman let go of her and shoved her out of the truck. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the woman fell towards Yang, slamming into her and sending both them and the motor-cycle tumbling to the ground. Yang recovered first, pushing herself up on her forearms. "Hey, are you alright?"

"Most definitely not. It's my first day, and I'm likely to get fired for this. I tried, I really did." The white-haired girl's eyes went wide, and her head snapped in the direction of the disappearing truck. "The other woman!"

"What other woman?" Yang asked, standing her motor-cycle back upright.

"There was another woman in the truck, bound and gagged! We need to notify the constables!" She looked around, trying to spot one; their altercation had surely drawn some attention.

"Princess, by the time they get here, the truck will be long gone." Yang grinned as she mounted up. Luckily the engine was still running. "I'm going after them." Without a word, the white-haired girl hiked up her skirts and climbed on behind. "Hey, where do you think you're going?"

"With you, of course. Now how do I...? Where should I grab?" The white-haired girl was perplexed; a moment ago tagging along had been the natural thing to do, but now it seemed a bit more complicated.

"Arms around my waist, feet up on those pegs there. I'm Yang, by the way. Now, who did they grab?" she asked as she gunned the engine and they roared off in pursuit.

"Oh! You're Mister Tiayang's other daughter. And I'm not sure who they grabbed; I haven't been introduced to everyone yet. My name is Weiss, by the way; it's a pleasure to meet you, although I could wish it was under better circumstances." Weiss was hanging on for dear life; it was terrifying and exhilarating to be moving at such an incredible speed.

"Likewise. Okay, you said she was bound and gagged. Did she have black hair and cat ears on her head, black hair with red highlights? Or neither one?"

Weiss racked her brain, trying to remember from the brief glimpse of the woman. "I... didn't notice any cat ears, but I don't think there were any red highlights. It was kind of dark, and I only saw her for a moment before I tackled the one ruffian."

"Straight into action, eh? I like your style, princess. Sounds like they grabbed Blake and not Ruby."

"I'm not a princess, I'm a maid!"

* * *

"Alright, you stay here," Yang said as she brought the motor-cycle to a halt just out of sight of the dockside warehouse where the truck had stopped. They'd almost lost it several times, but thankfully Yang knew the city well enough to keep them in sight. She dismounted and crept up to the corner, peering carefully around at the truck. The blonde couldn't help but smile; she recognized the 'gentleman' barking orders as Blake was unloaded from the truck. This was going to be _fun._

"But shouldn't I go with you? I'm sure I could be of some help," Weiss whispered. She felt somehow that it was her duty to see this matter through. Miss Yang was her employer's daughter after all. And Miss Blake lived in the house, even if Weiss wasn't entirely sure what the arrangement there was.

Yang tossed a grin over her shoulder at Weiss, chuckling. "I like your spirit, Weiss, but you don't look like you're much good in a fight. Unless you're one of those that looks all meek but has a secret passion for swordplay or something like that?"

"Admittedly not, no," Weiss muttered, looking at the ground in embarrassment.

"Tell you what, after this is over, I'll show you how to throw a punch, how to take one too. You're not the biggest, but I'll bet you're pretty quick, which can work to your advantage. What do you say?"

"I suppose," Weiss sighed as Yang crept around the corner toward the other warehouse.

Weiss watched nervously as Yang crept toward the truck, chewing her lip. She managed to sit quietly until Yang was almost there before scurrying after her.

* * *

Yang was grinning as she sauntered up to the truck. "Junior, Junior, Junior. I thought we had a deal. You keep your hands clean, and I stay out of your way. What's going on here, hmm?"

Junior rolled his eyes. Of _course_ , nothing involving the Xiao Longs ever went smoothly. There always had to be some hitch in the plan. "Beat it, Blondie. There's no reason for you to stick your nose in my business anymore."

"Now, now, we both know that's not true," Yang replied, shaking her head, blonde mane swinging from side to side. "See," she added running a finger up Junior's vest before grabbing his tie and jerking him up to her face, "I just rescued one of our maids who got tossed out of the back of this truck. And then I saw one of my friends getting carried unconscious into that warehouse. So, start talking or I start pounding. Fast," she growled, menace flashing in her violet eyes.

"Uh..." Junior's eyes glanced right, then left, before he yelled, "Get her!"

With a laugh, Yang tossed Junior to the ground. He'd still be there when she was done. Sensing someone behind her, Yang spun slightly then back-kicked, catching the man in the leg with a sickening _crack_ and sending him to the ground. She dodged as another thug on her right came at her with a wrench, then grabbed his arm and used his momentum to send his head slamming into the truck.

The next two goons were a bit smarter, or at least better armed. Both of them pulled knives, circling her warily. She feinted toward the one on her left, and when he tried to slash at her with the knife, she grabbed his arm and twisted it until he dropped the knife. Yang sent him staggering toward the other knife-wielder, who sidestepped and let him go sprawling to the ground.

"Some camaraderie you've got going there, guys. I think you're supposed to catch somebody when they go stumbling toward you like that. I swear, you can't get decent low-rent thugs anymore. Stay," she snapped at Junior, bringing her heel down on his chest hard.

"He owes me money," the man still holding a knife smirked, "and I don't like him much anyway." He feinted at Yang, and her estimate of him went up a few notches. He at least knew something of how to work a knife.

"Gotcha, lover's spat. Why don't I leave you two alone to sort that out then?" Yang tossed a one-two combo, testing his reflexes.

"It-It's not like that! We're just good friends, is all!"

"Oh, I thought you didn't like him much anyway. Now, which one is it? Sounds like the two of you need to have a serious talk. Don't mind me, I don't judge." Enraged, the man came at her low with the knife. Yang sidestepped, knocking the knife wide and bringing her other fist around to impact his face with a _crunch._ "Sounds like I might have broken your nose. Sorry about that. Now," Yang crouched low over Junior, "start talking. Or you are really not going to like what happens next."

"I got paid to grab the Belladonna woman. I was told she'd been spending a lot of time in your sister's workshop, so we waited until they were both in there, gassed the place and grabbed her. Nothing nasty, just Farnsworth's knockout gas."

"What. About. _Ruby?"_ Yang growled.

"I wasn't getting paid for her. We left her behind."

"Who paid you? Adam Taurus?"

"Some woman. Black hair, red dress, smug as hell. Got that faux-nice contempt going on, right? Please don't kill me, it was just business," he added, seeing the murderous rage rising in Yang's eyes.

"You're not worth the court time it'd take to justify killing you. Stay put, I won't be long." Yang stood, stretching to work out some of the kinks. She drew a deep breath. Outnumbered, unfamiliar territory, this was going to be a challenge. Yang talked like she thought she could take on anything and and anything, but she knew her limits. If Blake hadn't been in there, she wouldn't have gone in by herself.

She crept up to the open front door of the warehouse, peering inside. The harborside doors were open and a hoist was being used to swing loads from a small boat into the warehouse. Stacks of crates were scattered across the warehouse floor, and men were carrying crates from one place to another. Now, where was Blake...? There she was. Sitting off to one side was a rug, with a sofa, a couple of armchairs, and a low table on it. Blake was lying on the couch, arms folded on her chest, apparently sleeping peacefully. At least they'd made sure she was comfortable.

A silver-haired man was barking orders in the middle of the room, snapping his fingers impatiently. "Come on, come on, let's get this unloaded. We need that ship gone as fast as possible. You!" he snapped, grabbing a man by the arm. " Head over to the Tiger's Roar in Faunustown and leave a message for Adam Taurus there. Tell him his shipment has arrived, but he should pick it up as quickly as possible to avoid storage fees. I hate trying to hang on to arcanists," the silver-haired man muttered as the other man scurried off.

Great. Mercury Black. Yang had business with him. She crept as close to him as she could, hiding behind stacks of crates, shaking her head as she did so. This batch of goons was worse than most, if she could get this close to Mercury this easily. Finally, there were no more stacks of crates, just fifteen feet of open floor between her and him. Piece of cake.

Drawing a deep breath, Yang braced herself, then barreled around the crates toward Mercury. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see someone starting to open their mouth and point, but they were just too late to stop her. Yang brought her fist up, trying to knock him to the ground with one good punch, but before she could land the blow, Mercury turned around, his mouth open to speak. He took half a step back, raising his arm in an off-balance block of her punch. "Yang Xiao Long. It's been too long. How have you been?" Mercury asked with a smirk.

"Not bad. Sister's getting married, so we've got all that to take care of. Sad to say, the girl you kidnapped is her bride, so I rather feel obligated to rescue her." Yang and Mercury traded a few punches, feeling each other out. "You got new legs, I see. Any good?"

"Only the finest. My new employer's a generous soul. I told her she should have sent you the bill, since you broke my last pair." He glanced past Yang, shaking his head. "Oh, and what do we have here? A special guest."

Yang turned her head just enough to see what Mercury was talking about, not wanting to take her eyes off him. One of the goons was carrying Weiss, pinning her arms to her chest while she was flailing her legs everywhere and swearing fit to make a sailor blush. Oh, good grief. "I told you to stay behind!" Yang shouted.

"And leave you to handle all this by yourself? I had to help!" Weiss answered, snapping her teeth at the goon's hands. "Get your hands off me, you, you brute, you!"

"Looks like I've got two hostages now. So what's it going to be, Xiao Long? Surrender, and you and your little friend leave alive. Fight and, well, the odds don't look so good for you." Mercury made an expansive gesture that took in all the men in the warehouse. Most of them had pulled out pistols or knives. "Your call, blondie."

"Don't call me 'blondie,'" Yang snarled, watching Weiss out of the corner of her eye. The white-haired girl had stopped kicking her feet, and Yang could see her glancing at a nearby stack of crates. If she was thinking what Yang thought she was thinking...

Suddenly Weiss's legs shot out, slamming into the stack of crates, sending her and the thug holding her to the ground. As the thug holding her lay on the ground groaning, Weiss wriggle out of his grasp, grabbing the pistol at his waist and bringing the heel of her shoe down somewhere _very_ painful before running away.

"Get her!" Mercury yelled, and one of the goons raised his hand. "Which 'her' do you mean, boss? There's two of them?"

"Both of them!" he snapped as he spun around for a roundhouse kick.

Yang blocked with a grunt as his mechanical leg hit her arm. He hadn't been kidding about getting good legs; he was faster than she was used to. "You've been practicing," she said with a smile, trying to grab the leg only to have Mercury pull it out of the way before she could get a grip.

This time his other leg came low, trying for a sweep, but Yang backflipped out of the way. "Like I said , my new employer's generous. Like me in peak fighting condition." A shot rang out across the warehouse, and Mercury laughed. "And that's my men putting an end to your little maid. Care to reconsider?"

"I doubt it," Weiss's voice called from the darkness. "She seems rather obstinate. And now I have _two_ pistols. I am rather a good shot, sir. How many times shall I prove it?" _Crack._ "Hmm, he had a knife. I'm no good with knives."

Enraged, Mercury came at Yang, faking low, then coming in for a high kick that could have caved in her skull if it connected. Yang ducked under it, snapping out a kick of her own that used Mercury's own momentum to send him sprawling on the ground. Before she could capitalize on it, one of the thugs came at her with a large wrench, forcing Yang away from Mercury. A shot rang out, and the thug dropped his wrench, grabbing at the bleeding hole in his shoulder. "Nice shot!" Yang yelled, turning her attention back to Mercury as he regained his feet.

"I was aiming for his head." A muffled curse came from the darkness. "Sir, your men do not take proper care of their weapons. This one just misfired." _Crack-crack._ "Thankfully, that one did not."

Mercury shook his head as he and Yang traded blows for a few moments, neither of them landing a solid hit . "Where did you find her?"

"In the middle of the road after one of Junior's goons tossed her out the back of a truck. Say, Weiss, whatever dad's paying you, I'm giving you a raise." A goon came up with a knife and Yang went to the outside of his swing, breaking his arm with a _snap_ and tossing him into Mercury's way.

The silver-haired man just kicked the man to the ground, where he lay, moaning. "You are starting to piss me off, Yang Xiao Long."

"Only starting to upset you? Miss Yang, you must try harder, that simply won't do," Weiss's voice came from the darkness, only to be interrupted by an outraged yelp.

"I got her, boss!" came the triumphant voice from the darkness. The thug dragged Weiss kicking and swearing out of the shadows next to the hoist, keeping her in a crushing bear hug.

"Oh look, we've gone and caught your annoying little friend, how fortunate." The other two remaining goons stepped forward, circling Yang. "Still want to fight it out, Miss Xiao Long?"

A scream of pain rang out across the warehouse as Weiss's teeth finally found purchase in the web of the thug's hand. His grip slackened, and the two of them struggled, losing their balance and tumbling into the harbor.

 _I hope she can swim_ was the only thought as the three of them came at her all at once. Mercury came in high with a kick, forcing Yang to dodge, only for the remaining knife-wielding thug to drive it home into her her upper arm. She swore and snap-kicked him in the thigh, sending him to the ground. The other thug was a bit smarter, he stopped and pulled a pistol from his belt, only to stare dumbfounded at it when it misfired.

Yang had to give the last goon credit, it only took him half a second to toss the pistol to the ground and come at Yang, swinging with both fists. She did him a favor and knocked him out with a one-two punch that dropped him fast, instead of using him for a speed bag.

Finally, it was down to Mercury and Yang. "I've got to give your credit, I thought we had this one easy from the start. But you managed to take out my men." He gave her a mocking bow. "But now you're hurt, and tired. I am looking forward to this."

She had to admit, she was tired and breathing hard. Yang hadn't had a fight like this in months. "Not finished yet. I promised my sister a spring wedding. She's got a dress already and everything. A red wedding dress, can you believe it? Took me and Blake two weeks to talk her out of black!"

"Stop stalling," Mercury growled, coming at her with kicks from the left and right, high and low, again and again, hitting Yang everywhere she'd already been hit and more places on top of that.

Eventually, Yang was half a step too slow, and he got in a sledgehammer blow to her ribs, Yang falling backward to slump against a crate. Slowly, tauntingly, Mercury walked over, raising his steel and brass mechanical foot over Yang, the boot a torn memory. "I am looking forward to this," he said with a laugh, before he collapsed lengthwise on the ground.

Standing over him was Wiess, sopping wet, the makeup hiding her scar smeared, long white hair hanging out of its bun, a large familiar-looking wrench dangling in her left hand. All in all the white-haired maid was a wet, bedraggled mess, but to Yang, in that instant, she couldn't have looked more glorious. "My-my apologies for being late, Miss Yang," she stammered. "I was waylaid by a ruffian and ended up in the harbor." She sat next to Yang, collapsing against the crate, the wrench clattering to the ground.

"Do you, do you suppose your father will let me have a hot bath before I'm fired?" Weiss asked after a few minutes, her soft voice the only sound they heard besides seagulls and the waves of the harbor.

Yang gave a tired laugh. "If my dad even suggests firing you over this, you'll need to find lodgings for two, because I'm following along behind you, princess." A half-dozen constables came bursting through the front door, pistols drawn. "Oh, look, it's the police." The two of the waved wearily. "Here we are, we'll even go quietly, as long as there's a hot cup of tea involved for us."

* * *

Early the next morning, Weiss found herself summoned to Mister Taiyang's study. Contrary to her worst fears, there had been not even a mention of the possibility of Weiss being fired. Instead, every member of the household had thanked her profusely (including Blake, once she was brought around), and Mister Taiyang had promised to show Weiss his gratitude properly in the morning.

The white-haired girl stepped quietly into the study, shutting the door softly behind her. Yang occupied an armchair next to her father's desk, still battered and bruised from the fight in the warehouse the day before. Blake and Ruby occupied the sofa, their hands intertwined, Weiss noted with a frown she kept to herself. It wasn't the first time she'd known of a relationship like that, but most of the time, those involved kept it very, very private.

Taiyang stood in front of the window, looking out at the city. "Yesterday, Miss Schnee, you hurled yourself into danger without a thought, to rescue a member of this household that you'd never met, and that you only knew by name. Why?"

"It... seemed the proper thing to do, sir. I couldn't stand by and do nothing, after all."

"I see." Mister Xiao Long turned around, and Wiess could see he was smiling broadly. "Weiss, you saved a woman who came to me a stranger, and has become another daughter to me. I've got a cash reward for your bravery to give you, a year's pay, all in advance. That's on top of whatever else you may earn while you're here, of course." Weiss's heart skipped a beat. A year's pay, in advance? Mister Taiyang already paid a good wage for a maid, but this- Then he continued. "But Blake and Ruby have something they'd like to ask you, a singular honor they'd like to bestow."

Blake pulled her hand from Ruby's and stood, jeweled earrings sparking in the feline ears on top of her head. "Weiss, if you hadn't helped out Yang, I wouldn't be here today, and probably neither would Yang. Will you stand beside me at our wedding?"

"May I ask, who are you marrying? I thought-" Weiss bit her lip; she shouldn't have asked, or said anything but to politely decline.

"Ruby and I are due to be married in a month; didn't anyone tell you?" the cat-eared girl answered, blinking in surprise.

"I-no, no-one explained that to me. Much about this house has not been properly explained to me, I think. Um, pardon my ignorance, but is such a thing _legal_ in Vale? It isn't back home in Atlas, you see." Inwardly Weiss cringed; could she say anything stupider?

To her relief, Taiyang laughed. "Not only legal, but it has been for about a decade now. Most people don't really think about it anymore."

"Then it is my pleasure to accept the honor you do me," Weiss said, bowing deeply

It was Yang's turn to laugh. "I think you'll fit in here just fine, princess."

"I'm not a princess, only a maid," Weiss sad softly, blushing even as a smile found its way to her face.


	3. A Sister's Valor

Winter took a moment to compose herself before stepping onto _Peregrine_ 's bridge. Her promotion to ensign was ensign was only days old, and she was damned if she was going to give the captain (or anyone else) any reason to find fault with her. There had been grumblings about her sudden elevation, but what was she supposed to have done? When the fire broke out in the number three lift engine room, it had been chaos, no-one taking charge. Frustrated, Winter had started snapping out orders, assuming that if nothing else needed to be done, the fire needed to be put out and the wounded tended to.

Fortunately, the captain had agreed, and so had the executive officer. As soon as the flames were under control, the captain himself had come down to give Winter strict orders to rest; she'd been fighting the flames non-stop for six hours, time for someone else to take over before fatigue pushed her into making a fatal mistake, he'd argued.

She'd woken to find copies of two radiograms waiting for her, the first from the captain to fleet command:

SEVERE FIRE IN NUMBER THREE LIFTING ENGINE ROOM STOP FIRE UNDER CONTROL AT THIS TIME AND STILL AIRWORTHY BUT MUST MAKE PORT FOR REPAIRS STOP NEAREST FRIENDLY PORT VALE STOP FULL REPORT AFTER LANDING AND ASSESSMENT OF DAMAGE STOP AT THIS TIME FOUR KNOWN DEAD AND FIFTEEN INJURED STOP

RECOMMEND PROMOTION OF AIRMAN WINTER SCHNEE TO ENSIGN FOR VALOR LITERALLY UNDER FIRE STOP TOOK COMMAND OF CHAOTIC SITUATION AND FOUGHT FLAMES FOR SIX I REPEAT SIX HOURS WITHOUT REST STOP WOULD NOT STOP FIGHTING FLAMES UNTIL DIRECTLY ORDERED TO REST BY CAPTAIN STOP

Fleet command's response had been notably terse:

ACKNOWLEDGE PRELIMINARY REPORT AND AWAITING FULL REPORT ON ARRIVAL IN VALE STOP GOSHAWK NEAR YOUR CURRENT POSITION AND WILL RENDEZVOUS TO ESCORT YOU TO VALE STOP

PROMOTION OF AIRMAN WINTER SCHNEE TO PROVISIONAL ENSIGN APPROVED PENDING FULL REPORT STOP

Winter stopped just behind Captain Rutan, saluting sharply and coming to attention. "Air-Ensign Schnee reporting, sir, bearing reports from both the chief engineer and the ship's surgeon."

The captain grunted, looking out the viewport at the approaching port of Vale. "Still getting used to the new rank, Ensign Schnee? I assume your reports aren't good news, considering that if it was, they'd have brought it themselves."

"No, sir. The chief engineer reports that they've found another body, and he still has no idea how the fire started."

"That brings the total to, what, five dead, Schnee?"

"Six, sir. The surgeon asked me to pass the report that Buckley perished early this morning."

"Damn." The captain's face grew even grimmer. "I remember Buckley, I think. Seemed a competent sort, even if he grumbled a bit too much. This your first time handling a fire on an airship, Schnee?"

"No, sir. I was aboard _Kite_ when she had a fire early last year. It didn't seem nearly as bad as this, though."

"Most likely not. I've been in airships since they started, and this was one of the worst I've seen." The captain turned to face her, his brow furrowed in thought. "If I remember right, didn't you say you had family in Vale, Ensign?"

"Yes, sir. A sister. She's a maid for some mad inventor or another. I hope to find time for at least a brief visit with her. I haven't actually seen her in, well, it's been over two years. We write, though, sir."

"And knowing the navy mail, you probably only get her letters when we make port in Atlas itself. Given that _Peregrine_ 's likely to be in yard hands for at some time, I'll have Commander Levin arrange as much leave as possible for you while we're here. Call it an expression of my gratitude for your actions."

"Sir, I-"

"There's no call for modesty on your part, Ensign. You saw chaos and brought order, despite the danger. Now, would you prefer to send your sister a radiogram to let her know you're coming, or surprise her?"

So now Winter stood, tapping her foot, as _Peregrine_ settled into her dockyard berth. Thankfully Atlas and Vale were nominally allies at the moment, so they could get the damage repaired here instead of having to nurse the ship all the way back to Atlas. In theory, _Peregrine_ only needed two of her lift engines to stay airborne, but no captain liked taking that chance. Finally, everything was done, and as the gangway settled onto the dock, Commander Levin gave her a stern look. "You've been in the navy for several years, now, Ensign, so I'm going to skip the standard shore leave warning. I'm sure you've heard it all before. I recommend you find lodgings in town, either with your sister or somewhere else, but let us know where so we can find you if we need to. Otherwise, you're on your own until further notice. Don't do anything I have to bring to the captain's attention, understood?" Winter snapped him a razor-sharp salute and made her way down the gangplank. Weiss's response to her radiogram had said she'd be meeting Winter at the dockyard but where...?

Her concern proved unfounded. Weiss was waiting at the gates to the military section of the port, as close as a civilian could reasonably have come to _Peregrine_ 's berth. Winter blinked at the sight of her sister. Why on Remnant was Weiss wearing _trousers_ and a pistol in a cross-draw holster? Winter was long used to trousers, being in the navy and all, but her sister never wore trousers. The one time Winter had persuaded her to try them, Weiss had worn them for all of half an hour before taking them off, pronouncing them the most uncomfortable thing she'd ever worn. Standing behind Weiss was a blonde woman and two more with black hair, one of whom had cat ears peeking up from her head. "Winter, it's so good to see you," Weiss said, surprising her sister by pulling her in for a hug. Weiss didn't like being hugged, and rarely if ever hugged anyone.

"It's good to see you as well," Winter replied, stepping back to look her sister over. Something was different about Weiss, something Winter couldn't put her finger on, more confidence perhaps.. "So how have you been? Your radiograms said there was important news to discuss."

The confidence Winter thought she'd seen a moment ago vanished as Weiss looked down, then back up into her sister's eyes. "Have... have you talked to Father, lately?"

"No. I rarely ever get mail aboard ship, so the past four month's letters are probably sitting in a warehouse in Atlas. I barely bother to read father's letters anymore; they're mostly rants about my choice to enlist in the military. When I visit home, I see mother and try to avoid father, if I can." Winter's head tilted to one side, a puzzled look on her face. "Why, what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, exactly, but I...I suppose I should begin at the beginning. Winter, I'd like to introduce to you my fiancee, Miss Yang Xiao Long." Weiss gestured toward the blonde woman, who stepped forward and took Weiss's hand in hers.

Winter felt as if someone had slapped her in the face with a haddock. "F-fiancee?" she finally squeaked out, making Weiss bite her lip to suppress a giggle. Instead, Weiss nodded. "Is that, is that even legal?"

"It is in Vale," Weiss answered with a decisive nod.

"Father will be furious."

"He already is, and that's where the problem is. You see..." Weiss recounted the events of their father's visit, ending with "...and now he's taken to harassing the household staff and residents, and generally making a nuisance of himself. I've told him repeatedly that he's not going to be able to change my mind and that he should go home. I even bought him a ticket home on an airship, first class. He tore it up and threw it in my face. Thankfully he hasn't bothered us for a few days. I have hope that he has seen sense and gone home, faint as it may be."

Winter shook her head. "I am not entirely surprised at his actions. Well, it is my pleasure to meet you, Miss Xiao Long, and I hope you and my sister are very happy together.. Sadly, I doubt I will be able to attend the wedding. A navy life, I'm sure you understand."

"We understand." Ruby coughed gently, causing Weiss to flush with embarrassment. "I'm sorry, where are my manners? Winter, this is Yang's sister, Mrs. Ruby Rose, and her wife, Mrs. Blake Belladonna."

"It's a pleasure to meet both of you," Winter said, nodding as she looked them over. Ruby and Blake both bowed in greeting, the earrings in Blake's feline ears flashing in the morning sun. "Well, what would you like to do now? I'm currently on leave, and I've been practically ordered not to return to the ship until specifically called upon. I'm something of the hero of the hour; my ship, the _Peregrine_ , had a bad fire onboard, and I've been promoted to ensign for my actions in fighting the fire."

"Dang," Ruby spoke up for the first time. "So I guess yours was the one I saw coming into port, streaming smoke? It looked pretty bad. Was anyone badly hurt?"

"Six men died, Miss Ruby, with fifteen injured, mostly burns and smoke, fighting the fire. No, that's fourteen, one of those died in the night." A white-painted truck bearing a red cross rumbled up to the gate and was waved through, Winter bowing her head with a sigh. "Some of those injured were fighting the flames at my orders, even though they outranked me at the time. But someone had to organize things, give orders, and I just..."

"You just had to too the right thing," Weiss said softly, sliding her hand into Yang's. "I know the feeling; it's what lead me to Yang."

There was a twinkle in Winter's eye as she saw the gesture. "You'll have to tell me the story of how the two of you met before I leave."

"Oh, trust me, it's a doozy. It starts with Weiss literally landing in my lap," Yang laughed, one hand making a sweeping gesture away from the gate.

"I was thrown out of a moving truck, thank you very much!" Weiss snapped, and Winter couldn't help but laugh at her sister's discomfort, making Weiss scowl at her.

"Oh, that reminds me! Jaune sent a message this morning, just as we were leaving. He's got something new he wants us to look at. Says it's just Weiss's sort of thing," Ruby interrupted with a grin, making the white-haired sisters turn their heads toward her.

"Jaune?" Winter asked.

"Jaune Arc, of Arc and Nikos Firearms fame. I think you'll quite like meeting him. Come along, Winter, our motor carriage is this way." Winter blinked; her sister certainly had some new and… interesting acquaintances.

Yang insisted on driving, so Weiss and Winter could catch up. She chuckled as she remembered the day she'd introduced Weiss to Jaune Arc.

* * *

" _Miss Yang? Exactly where are we going?"_

 _The morning had already held wonder and terror for the maid. Shortly after breakfast, she'd been summoned to Miss Ruby's room and informed that since she was now part of the wedding party, she'd need something suitable to wear. Weiss had paled at the cost of what Ruby considered 'suitable;' what Ruby wore every day was much more expensive than Weiss's own 'day off' wear, and no doubt a dress for such an occasion as a wedding would be even more extravagant. Somehow Ruby had sensed or anticipated her discomfort, taking pity on Weiss and offering to pay for the dress, as her own thanks for helping save Blake._

 _That had turned into an hours-long session at a dressmaker the likes of which Weiss had never thought she'd grace as a paying customer. The dressmaker hadn't even batted the proverbial eyelash at being asked to make a dress for someone who entered her shop wearing a common maid's uniform, being very polite and professional about the whole affair. Weiss had done her best not to die of sheer embarrassment as Ruby, Blake, and Yang conspired to outfit her not only with a suitable dress for Ruby and Blake's wedding but an entirely new wardrobe in their collective gratitude. Weiss had finally been able to curb their sartorial enthusiasm by pointing out that she had limited storage space in her room at the Xiao Long household._

 _Now Yang turned back to look at the white-haired maid following timidly along behind her. "I told you I wanted to show you my own thanks for saving my hide back in that warehouse, didn't I? And so here we are."_

 _Weiss read the lettering on the shop's window with disbelief. "Arc and Nikos Firearms? I've heard their work is quite good."_

" _Yep, the best. Imagine Ruby's general inventiveness with machinery, now focus that on just personal firearms, and you've got Jaune Arc. Kind of an idiot otherwise, but that's part of his charm."_

 _Inside, the shop was dark and cool, glass display cases showcasing a variety of firearms, the walls lined with shelves full of boxes of various sizes. A blonde man looked up from behind the counter, smiling at them. "Welcome to Arc and Nikos, how may I-oh, it's you, Yang. Have you managed to break your pistol again? And how's Blake, I heard about her getting kidnapped."_

" _Nope, the pistol's just fine, and so's Blake, in no small part thanks to this little lady." Yang slapped Weiss on the back, making her stumble forward. "This timid little thing jumped right into the action, clobbering a thug and grabbing his pistol, then proceeding to down, what was, it, four, five of Mercury Black's goons, Weiss? And then she followed that act by sneaking up on Mercury himself and knocking him out, saving my own glorious skin. So what are you doing out here, working the counter? Shouldn't you be back in the workshop?"_

 _"It was nothing, really," Weiss said, wishing she could find somewhere to hide._

 _Yang spun around, waving a finger in Weiss's face. "Never, ever, sell yourself short. Most people are far more capable than they let themselves be. Don't boast, just state the facts and let your actions speak for themselves. Now, did I say anything that wasn't true?"_

" _No," Weiss said, a hint of a blush on her cheeks._

" _Then be quiet and take the gratitude. Speaking of which, Jaune, I have need of your services, in a professional capacity. Weiss here happens to be a good shot with a pistol but doesn't own one of her own, something I mean to correct today. Can you help her pick one out? Not something fancy, you know the sort of pistol I like, and I think she'd like something similar."_

 _Jaune nodded. "Not shiny and fancy, but a good, solid, reliable pistol, the sort you can drop in the mud and it still fires reliably. Think I've got just the thing. Are you right or left-handed, Miss-?"_

" _Left-handed, sir, and my name is Weiss Schnee, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Weiss bowed a little, making Yang laugh. "May I ask why it makes a difference about which hand I prefer? I can shoot right-handed as well, I'm just not as accurate."_

" _If you're better left-handed, it's better for you to have a left-handed pistol," Jaune said, waggling a finger at her. "It's just a matter of arranging the cylinder to swing to the right instead of the left. Most places that would be a custom job, but I do keep some on hand." He got a thoughtful look on his face. "Or maybe a top-break pistol, though those are less popular these days. Any preference?"_

" _I, um," Weiss stammered, not sure how to respond. She hadn't expected to actually be asked what she wanted, and she glanced at Yang, who grinned and made a shooing motion at her. Weiss took a deep breath as she turned back to face Jaune. "May I see both, please? I'm rather concerned about the weight and size of the weapon as well. I have small hands, you see."_

 _Jaune nodded and started pulling boxes off shelves and setting them in front of her. Weiss picked up the first one and weighed it in her hand, making sure it wouldn't be unwieldy for her. Yang whistled. "Kind of a big gun, Jaune. Think she can handle it?"_

" _Quite easily, Miss Yang. I've fired heavier than this, although..." Weiss hesitated before forging on. "Miss Yang, is your intention that I carry the pistol on a regular basis, concealed within my clothing, perhaps? That might call for a different weapon, I think. Something smaller."_

 _Yang blinked; the question was completely unexpected. "If-if that's what you want to do. I mean, I certainly hope you don't find yourself in a situation like we did yesterday anytime soon, but if it makes you feel safer..."_

" _Well..." Before Weiss could finish answering, the bell above the door rang again, heralding the arrival of a red-headed woman in a resplendent dark brown dress trimmed in gold. She smiled at Jaune before turning to regard Yang and Weiss suspiciously. "Yang, it's good to see you again. And who is this? I don't believe we've been introduced."_

" _Yeah, great to see you too, Pyrrha. This is Weiss, our new maid, and the hero of the day. She saved me and Blake's hides a couple of days ago, and I thought I'd buy her one of Jaune's pistols to show my appreciation."_

" _I see." The glare Pyrrha gave Weiss could have leveled small villages. Vale, for example. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Weiss."_

" _The pleasure is all mine, ma'am," Weiss answered with a bow._

 _Pyrrha turned her attention towards Jaune, and her expression notably softened. "Jaune, I've just come from talking to the city council. The problem with our building permits has been settled, so we're still on track to break ground next week."_

 _Jaune beamed. "That's great, Pyrrha! Soon my guns will be all over Vale, maybe all over Remnant. Won't that be amazing."_

 _"Keeping secrets from me, Jaune?" Yang asked, leaning over the counter a bit, making Pyrrha scowl._

" _Not keeping secrets, exactly, just not shouting it from the rooftops, either." Jaune scratched his chin, gathering his thoughts. "Pyrrha has decided to invest in my designs. We're opening a full-fledged workshop to produce them."_

" _Fantastic!" Yang exclaimed, clapping Jaune on the shoulders. "Just promise me you won't forget us when you're famous."_

" _No problem. You guys were some of my first customers, and your dad loaned me the money to start this place." Jaune and Yang started chatting amiably about old times, and Pyrrha wandered off, looking disinterestedly at some of the display cases, occasionally glaring at Yang out of the corner of her eye._

 _Tumblers clicked into place in Weiss's brain and she nodded. Stepping up behind Pyrrha, she cleared her throat softly. "Miss Pyrrha, I don't normally comment on the affairs of others, but I can assure you that neither Miss Yang or myself are any threat to your interest in Mister Arc."_

 _Pyrrha spun around. "How dare you even suggest-!" she hissed at Weiss quietly, her eyes flickering toward Jaune to see if he noticed._

" _It seems rather obvious if one is coming into the situation with fresh eyes, as I am. But if I am in error, I do apologize."_

 _Blushing, Pyrrha looked at the floor. "My apologies. But I'm at my wits' end. He won't even notice me, no matter what I try."_

" _Might I suggest a direct approach? Tell him you're taking him out to dinner, don't give him any say in the matter, and confess your feelings to him. My mother sometimes said that some men you have to hit upside the head with a brick. Now go," Weiss finished, tilting her head in Jaune's direction._

 _Pyrrha took a step in Jaune's direction, then stopped, hesitating. Annoyed, Weiss swatted her on her backside, making Pyrrha glare at her. Weiss responded with a shooing motion, then crossed her arms, obviously tapping her foot. With a sigh, Pyrrha stepped up to the counter where Yang and Jaune were chatting. "Jaune-"_

 _Before she could continue, two men with pistols in hand burst through the door. "Nobody make any sudden moves, and no-one will get hurt. Miss Nikos, I'll thank you to come with us."_

" _I most certainly will not!" Pyrrha shouted, starting to reach into her purse._

 _The man who'd spoken before cocked the hammer on his pistol. "I said no sudden moves. My orders are to bring you along, they didn't say I couldn't put a hole or two in you first."_

 _Weiss turned her head toward Yang, who was keeping her hands well in sight and nodded slightly. "Hey, Mumbo, Jumbo, you got no beef with me, right? Can I leave? I've got dinner plans."_

" _Sorry, miss, but I'll have to insist you stay right where you are until Miss Nikos does as we say."_

" _Oh really?" Yang took a step forward, stretching her arms over her head. "Truth be told, I don't like her much anyway. Stole the heart of a young man I was interested in. Might be fitting revenge helping you kidnap her, truth be told."_

 _Weiss started edging toward the door, taking advantage of the kidnappers' focus on Yang. All she needed was half a second-!_

 _Suddenly there was a pistol in her face. "Say put, girlie. Or we'll decide to add you to the manifest if you get my drift."_

" _I rather hope not; if I'm to be kidnapped, I'd rather it was by someone competent."  
_

" _Say what?" The kidnapper's head tilted and he gave Weiss a confused look._

" _That's a single-action Valkyrie Arms forty-five caliber. You have to cock the hammer back before it will fire," Weiss snorted._

 _The man pulled the trigger, only to stare at it in confusion when the pistol didn't fire. He stared at it dumbfounded for a moment before shifting his grip to cock the hammer, and that's when Weiss tackled him._

 _The pair of them hit the floor in a heap, Weiss wailing on him for all she was worth, the man's partner laughing. "You're a real winner, getting taken down by a maid. Get her off of you and grab the Nikos girl."_

" _Oh, I think you're the one that won the prize today, the booby prize that is. Pyrrha, get down." Jaune's hands were full of shotgun now, leveled at the kidnapper still standing._

" _Yeah, you're a pair of prize idiots, trying to kidnap somebody while they're standing in a **gun shop**." Yang's pistol was out now, and she glanced down at Weiss. "Not to mention only bringing two of you. Oh, now I recognize you, despite those stupid bandannas. It's two of the Trautman brothers, isn't it? Where's the third?"_

" _Healing up. Robbery went bad a few days ago, not our fault, the plan was—wait, why am I telling you this?"_

" _Because while none of you have the sense to come in out of the rain, you're the one that at least realizes he's getting wet. You about done there, Weiss, or you want to go for a second date?"_

" _Oh, I think we've come to an understanding." Weiss and the other kidnapper rose slowly, the pistol leveled in Weiss's hands. "Might I trouble you for two pistols, Miss Yang? Something small I can easily conceal on my person or in a purse, and something larger for more general use. It seems that no matter where I go with you, I have need of one."_

 _Pyrrha rose shakily from the floor, steadying herself on a display case. "Pyrrha, thank god you're all righ—mmph!" Yang and Weiss looked on as Pyrrha grabbed Jaune and kissed him, the shotgun clattering to the top of the counter._

" _I guess she found a brick. You, stay where you are. It'd be a terrible thing to ruin the moment, won't you agree?"_

* * *

"Weiss, Yang, how are you? It's wonderful to see you again!" Pyrrha waddled out from behind the shop counter to hug the two of them. "And who's this new face? Some relative of yours, Weiss? I see a bit of a resemblance."

"Miss Pyrrha Nikos, may I introduce my older sister, Winter. She's just been promoted to ensign in the Atlesian navy for saving her airship from a fire."

"I see. You'll have to tell me all about it; that sounds terribly exciting. Oh! Jaune said he had something he wanted to show you. I'll send one of the clerks around to let him know you're here. In the meantime-"

"In the meantime, I'll thank everyone to keep their hands where I can see them." Three men stood just inside the shop door, bandannas pulled over their faces. "Miss Nikos, you're coming with us."

"Firstly, it's Mrs. Nikos, I am married now, and second, I will do no such thing. I am staying right here, and if you had any sense at all, you'd leave. Now, before things get too lively."

Recognition sparked in Weiss's mind, and she rolled her eyes. "Oh good grief, it's the Trautman brothers, isn't it? All three of them this time, it looks like. This is what, the third time they've tried to kidnap you, Pyrrha?"

"Fourth. One time one of the brothers decided to try it all by himself when Jaune and I were at the cinema. Jaune shot him rather handily."

"Yeah, and it really hurt. Wait, it's the Xiao Long woman and her white-haired maid. Time for some payback, brothers." One of them centered his pistol on Winter, and the older Schnee sister blinked in surprise. "Sir, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't believe I've ever met you or any of these other gentlemen."

"What?" he sputtered, only to be interrupted by a pistol being cocked. "I'm over here, _idiot,"_ Weiss spat. "And you and your brothers have just tried to kidnap a friend of mine, again, who happens to be pregnant, and drawn weapons on both my fiancee and my sister. In, I will add a _gun shop._ Again. And I know for a fact there are shotguns under the counter in case of robbery. Honestly, the three of you should be locked away for the rest of your natural lives as a hazard to yourselves and others. Now, I haven't seen my sister in, hmm, over two years. Do be polite and drop your pistols; I'd hate to spoil our reunion by having to shoot someone." There was a small whimper as a pistol hit the floor, followed by the two others.


	4. A Heart's Choice

"So that's your decision, then? Is there nothing we can do to change your mind? We haven't done anything to upset you, have we?"

"No, neither you or anyone else has done anything to offend me, sir." Weiss smoothed the skirt of her dress nervously, the clock on the wall ticking away in the silence. "I'm sorry, but I have decided to return home to Atlas."

"I see." Taiyang frowned, resting his arms on his desk. "Well, I think we'll all be sorry to see you go. You've become part of the family, Weiss, and it's always hard to say goodbye to family." His eyes turned to two portraits on his office wall. "Always," he repeated softly.

Weiss nodded, her eyes following Taiyang's. The two portraits he was looking at were Yang and Ruby's mothers, two people she had been warned repeatedly over the last three years not to ask about. "I understand, sir. I'm not nearly as close to my family as you are to yours, other than my sister, but if one of them were to pass on, I think it would still be hard to bear."

"Very well. When will you be leaving?"

"I have to see about booking passage first. Perhaps I will travel by airship; I don't think I've ever been on one in… less than dire circumstances and I'm told it's an experience not to be missed."

He nodded. "Seeing the world from so high up can be breathtaking indeed. Be sure to say goodbye to everyone properly. And please, let us throw you a farewell party as well."

Weiss hesitated before knocking. She'd already told Ruby and Blake she was leaving, and that had been hard enough. Ruby had cried, of course, but pulled herself together enough to wish Weiss well, and promised to bake her an absolutely enormous cake for her farewell party. Blake had bit her lip and turned her head to the side, trying to suppress her laughter. Ruby was a surprisingly accomplished cook, given her aptitude for all things mechanical, but sometimes her enthusiasm for sweet things ran away with her. Hopefully, Blake would be able to keep her in check.

Now Weiss had to face Yang, and that she was dreading. Of the ladies of the Xiao Long household, she was fond of Yang most of all. It was Yang after all that had pressed her father into promoting Weiss from maid to being their 'assistant,' a somewhat ambiguous job title that in practice came down to 'getting into bothersome situations with us and making sure we all get out of them alive.'

No helping it; she'd told Mister Taiyang she'd say goodbye properly, and she was damned if she would break her word to the man who'd been more of a father to her in three years than the man who raised her had been her whole life. She knocked softly at Yang's door, hoping more than a little that Yang wasn't there, only to have her hopes dashed when Yang's voice called out cheerfully, "Come on in, Weiss."

"How do you always know it's me?" Weiss answered, shutting the door behind her. Tools were scattered across the surface of Yang's desk, her mechanical arm lying in the middle. Weiss suppressed a wince of shame at the sight of it. No matter how much everyone told her they didn't blame her for the loss of Yang's arm, Weiss still blamed herself. If only she'd been even a handful of seconds faster-!

Yang turned in her chair, smiling up at Weiss. "I just always know it's you. Maybe it's your footsteps, maybe it's in the way you knock, but I always know. Now, what brings you? I was working on my arm and didn't feel like troubling Ruby, it just needed a little adjustment."

"I-I wanted to let you know that I'll be leaving, returning to Atlas."

"Going home to visit your family, I see. I know you're not close, but it still has to be hard not to see them for so long. How long are you planning on being gone?"

"I won't be coming back," Weiss said quietly, turning her head to the side, not wanting to look Yang in the eye. "I'm going home to stay."

"But, but why? Is it something we've done, something we've said?" Weiss could hear the confusion in Yang's voice, but there was no sense trying to avoid what had to be done.

"I do not wish to discuss my reasons," Weiss said, choking back a sob, her own voice breaking.

Without a word, Yang stood, wrapping her arm around Weiss and pulling her close. "I'm here. And if you really need to leave, then you really need to leave. But you don't seem too happy about going, so if you need to talk to someone about it, or a shoulder to cry on, I've got you covered, Weiss."

"But you're the one I _can't_ talk to about this," Weiss murmured into Yang's chest, not even realizing she'd spoken aloud until Yang pulled back just long enough to look down at her before pulling Weiss close once more.

The two of them stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, Weiss's head on Yang's chest, neither one saying a word. "I'm going to miss you. When we first met, I thought you were just a nuisance, you know? Someone who just needed to stay out of the way while I rescued Blake. But then you surprised me, even came to my rescue. And you just kept doing it, being there when one of us needed you. Remember that time you shot that man with a knife to dad's throat in the hand? In the freaking hand, Weiss. Do you remember what you said to dad when he asked you what if you missed?"

"'Either way, he wasn't leaving with you,'" Weiss replied, a smile on her lips even as she sniffled.

Yang smiled despite the pain twisting a knife in her heart. "And that's why I love you, Weiss."

Weiss stiffened, unable to believe what Yang had just said. "You-you love me?"

"Yeah, I think I do," Yang answered, surprised at what had come out of her mouth but unable to find any fault with it. "I mean, I've never really been in love before, but, well, seeing you is the best part of my day. I wish I could wake up to you forever."

"It, it's just like one of those penny dreadfuls Lisa's always reading, isn't it?" Weiss said with a pained laugh. "The poor defenseless maid or whatever falls in love with the young man but can't bring herself to say a word, they get into some ridiculous trouble or another, he sees her true character at some point and falls in love with her, they get out of the trouble with some even more ridiculous plan, and they live happily ever after. Bothersome nonsense, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I borrowed one from her once, and I howled with laughter through the whole thing."

"I remember. We spent the whole afternoon picking apart the plot. By the end of it, we were both in tears from laughter. Lisa was most upset, and I spent hours consoling her afterward."

"Is that what she was crying over? I never knew."

"Thoughtless brute."

"Sometimes, but you know you—wait, a moment ago, did you say you…?"

Weiss sighed. There was no helping it now. "The main reason I was leaving, Miss Yang, was because I couldn't stand to confront my own growing affection for you."

"Are you saying…?"

"I love you as well, Miss Yang. But it can never be between us, no matter how we feel, can it?"

Yang blinked in surprise, her heart a tempest of rapturous joy and melancholy sorrow. "Why not?"

"Well, first thing is that I work for your father, don't I? You're one of the ladies of the house, and I, I'm just your assistant, aren't I?"

"That's ridiculous. You became part of the family a long time ago. Or did you not notice us moving you out of the staff quarters and into one of the guest rooms, or the fact that you're the only person that 'works for my father' that joins us for meals?"

"That, that's true, I suppose." Now that Weiss thought about it, none of the other family employees had ever joined them for breakfast, not any of the maids, or Sun the groundskeeper before he'd left to become a constable, not even Mrs. Hutchins herself. "But, but I'm from Atlas," she stammered, railing against the flicker of hope that even now was kindling in her heart.

"I am well aware of that, but why do you bring that up now?"

"A relationship of the romantic sort between two women is quite illegal in Atlas."

Yang lifted her head, ostentatiously looking around the room. "And yet here we are in the Republic of Vale. Where, I will point out, the laws of Atlas do not apply, and we are free to conduct our affairs of the heart as we see fit, without legal interference. For reference, I will point out my sister, Ruby Rose, and her wife, Blake Belladonna." She took a step back, reaching out with her hand to lift Weiss's chin so their eyes met, pale blue meeting lilac. "So, will you stay, with me?"

"I, I'm not sure..."

Yang knelt in front of Weiss, taking the white-haired girl's left hand in hers. "Weiss, I love you, and I can't think of anything better than spending the rest of my days with you. Will you marry me?"

Weiss stared in shock, unable to believe what Yang had just said. Marry Yang? "Yes?" she answered with a squeak, then shook herself and cleared her throat. "Yes," Weiss said again, firmly. One should always be decisive about such things, after all.

Yang smiled, surging to her feet and wrapping her arm around Weiss again. "Wonderful! Wait, dammit, knew I was forgetting something. Ring, I need to get you a ring, not official-official until I get you a ring, making a right mess of this, aren't I? Don't leave until I get back."

Yang ran out of the room, boots pounding down the stairs, then back up the stairs as she came back into the room, muttering under her breath while she grabbed her mechanical arm and fixed it into place. "I love you, and I'm going to marry you, you know," she said, giving Weiss the most glorious smile Weiss could ever have imagined. Then Yang left again, leaving a confused but happy Weiss in her wake.

* * *

Weiss's hands shook as she sipped her coffee the next morning. She hadn't ever had the Vacuan beverage before she'd joined the Xiao Long household, but now she could hardly imagine her mornings without it. Ruby and Taiyang enjoyed it as well, although Ruby put more sugar in hers than Weiss thought wise.

She glanced again at Yang out of the corner of her eye. She wasn't sure, but it almost seemed as if Yang had been avoiding her yesterday after their mutual confession. When Weiss's worry had gotten the better of her good judgment and she had sought Yang out, Yang had only smiled and told her not to worry.

Well, Weiss was well and truly worried now. Maybe Yang had changed her mind about marrying her after all. Not that Weiss would have blamed her, not completely. A woman of Yang's obvious qualities had to have far more desirable marriage prospects than Weiss. She sighed softly and resigned herself to heartbreak after all. If Yang had truly changed her mind it would be for the best if Weiss left as soon as possible. It would be unseemly, not to mention painful, to linger where she wasn't wanted, mooning over lost chances.

The mood at breakfast was subdued, matching Weiss's mood. She imagined the news of her departure had brought sorrow to everyone. A few times she even caught Blake or Ruby open their mouth as if they were going to say something, only to turn back to their food in silence.

Not Yang, though. Yang's attention remained firmly fixed on the plate of food in front of her, eating with a mechanical thoroughness that went against her normal morning exuberance. For an instant, Weiss wondered what it would be like to wake up every morning with someone who was so energetic first thing in the day, but firmly pushed the thought aside. No use torturing herself with such thoughts now.

Across from her, Ruby set her fork down on her plate and started to rise, only to sit back down as Yang waved her back to her seat. The older sister knelt next to Weiss's chair, looking up at her. "Weiss, you're part of our family, and we're all sad at the idea of you leaving. Will you stay with me, and be my wife?" Yang reached into her pocket and retrieved a simple silver band, holding it out to Weiss as one might extend an offering to a particularly temperamental goddess.

There was stunned silence from everyone else as they waited for Weiss's answer. "Yes," Weiss answered, her hand shaking as Yang slid the ring onto her finger.

Everyone gathered around the couple to congratulate them. "Guess I get to bake a wedding cake instead of a goodbye cake," Ruby laughed as she embraced Weiss. "I was wondering what was bothering the pair of you. I noticed you were acting really nervous around each other."

"As it so happens, we were both pining after each other, both of us too afraid to act on their feelings," Weiss said, smiling and laying a hand on top of Yang's on her shoulder.

"Well, I'm glad you two were able to sort things out between you," Taiyang said, giving Weiss's other shoulder a squeeze. Let me be the first to officially welcome you to the family, Weiss."

"Thank you, Mister Taiyang."

"Please, call me Tai. You're officially family now, as well as in our hearts."

* * *

 **A/N: This chapter's a bit of a drabble, instead of the longer ones I mean for this story, but I'd be willing to bet everyone wanted to see this. Until next time.**


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